The Mercenary: Hell
by Flickering Windows
Summary: She didn't like the bonds of being a ninja. So, she called for being a violent mercenary. But, a nagging past like hers comes back fast. Maybe too much for her to handle? Sasuten NejiTen NejiSaku
1. Prologue

Tenten knew she was acting like an idiot when she made her choice

Tenten knew she was acting like an idiot when she made her choice. At first, she reasoned, that kunoichi weren't supposed to be dependent on others. But, another side of her opened while she was left to wallow in the shattered mirror of her own corruption.

_Kunoichi_ were known to be alongside the male ninja, charging into the heat of the battle or secretly landing attacks from far away. In Tenten's case, she was the second. She wanted to impress the man, the prodigious Hyuuga known as Neji. She wanted to please him, by making herself stronger and stronger until he could finally look at her in another light. But, even as she thought that, he could only look up to her, never seeing her as the _woman_ that she wanted him to see her as. And, even now, as Neji gazed at Sakura with admiration, _longing_, she couldn't help but listen to the click the shut off her innocent mind.

And so, she stopped caring.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

After the mission, her itsy-bitsy ring of hope diminished when she was told face-to-face by both Neji and Sakura (she remembered the way her inner mind turned gears to process this _sordid_ information) that, in fact, they had developed a special relationship.

When others asked her if she was okay, she had said she was calmly, managing to pull it off, even when she was told to look at each and every one of them straight in the eye. Tenten had her own strength, and she was going to exploit it.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Presently.

"Yes, expect it to be done in a few days. I'll contact you if I need back-up. I know, it's just a raid, right?" Tenten spoke firmly into the black bordered cellphone, nodding and making occasional look-outs for anyone. Even as she was no longer a ninja, she was still adept in her job of fighting and strengthening her senses. The receiver beeped, and she placed the phone into the spacious pocket of her jeans, making sure to end the call in case. She dialed the company on another phone, making a call-up on the mission she finished just the day before.

"_Operator, How may I help you?"_ A professional, raspy voice, unmistakably a woman's, answered routinely.

"Are there any new ventures?" Tenten asked, picking at her nails while waiting for a response.

_"Yes. Konoha is looking for some mercenaries to help in their missions. Their running low on people. I'll call to notify them you'll be coming over." _Tenten ended the call when the beep echoed. Smirking, she looked up towards the fluorescent lights the flickered often, tracing the cracks in the walls with her eyes.

"Konoha, huh. It's been a while since I've been there." She pulled the mercenary's uniform shirt and pants over her tank-top and jeans, rolling up both pant-legs while she fixed her sneakers. Tenten hefted the large sword on her back, tugging at the elastic that held the dark cloth in place, while she made sure that her gun was locked. Several weapons of war were hidden in the sleeves, and her eyes shone with a wicked spark, her mouth shaped into a Chesire-cat grin.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….


	2. Notification

The sun rose in its multi-colored brilliance. A long-haired figure stared from under a cap, her golden eyes flashing until it was shadowed by applied brown. Sighing, she stared for a moment more. After a mission, she had received another one, one more exhausting than the other. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she disappeared into the blinding dawn, yearning for the bright sand of Suna.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Neji sat in one of the waiting chairs in front of the Hokage's office, clutching Sakura's hand irritably. Sakura, on the other hand, was too busy staring at the youngest (and only) Uchiha. Since he had come back after Itachi's saddening death, Sakura had been following him, using the excuse that she needed to _comfort_ him. Neji could only sigh in jealousy.

"Hyuuga-san, Sakura-san, Sasuke-san, and visitor may now enter." They were snapped out of their daze when they finally, after 3 hours of waiting, noticed the visitor. The visitor flipped off of the upside-down position they were currently in on the ceiling and landed on the ground gracefully, walking quickly to the large door adorned with paper strips and flyers. The group followed after; still stunned they had not sensed it.

When they entered, the Hokage cleared her throat of the sake she was consuming.

"As you know, we are running low on shinobi and are in serious need of fighters." Neji nodded. "I have hired efficient mercenary to help in the more dangerous missions. We'll need all the help we can get from now on." Again, they nodded. "Today, the mercenary you will be working with has visited, and will start training with you soon enough." She cleared her throat again, the alcohol burning it. "You are dismissed." The dark-clothed mercenary jumped out the window, once again landing gracefully from the top level of the tower to the dusty town below, a visible ponytail swishing. Sasuke looked rather intrigued; Sakura tried not to glare.

"You should follow her. She might cause some violence." Shizune warned, holding a purple clipboard in one hand and petting Tonton with the other. "Things might get out of hand, but of what I've heard, she's pretty good." With that, she waved at the groggy Hokage and left the room, Sasuke, Sakura, and Neji following suit.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Where are you going?" Sakura asked angrily, glaring at the navy blue-clothed female walking away from them.

"I'm going to Ichiraku's." Neji and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this.

"Has she been here before? When I was gone?" Sasuke asked. Apparently, this money-wanting fighter they were supposed to train was really familiar with the place. Neji thought the same, though more informed.

"No, she hasn't. But you heard what Shizune said. We have to keep an eye on her to make sure nothing bad happens." They all agreed on that, and headed the same way.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

"There she is." Sakura hissed, her face red from jealousy after Sasuke suggested he train with the mercenary one-on-one, to determine what her power was. When they had spotted her, a large object was strapped to her back, and it looked dangerous. Neji was about to speak, when an emergency siren alarmed.

_"Enemies at the gate! Urgent! Now!"_ A voice echoed through the newly-installed

speakers. Ninja lounging at the stands jumped and dashed off to the gates, while civilians screamed, panicked. The 'nameless mercenary' dashed off as well, speed rivaling the lot. Sasuke easily caught up with her, while Neji and a seething Sakura followed, a good 6 yards behind.


	3. Clarification

The large decorative gate that separated Konoha from the rugged paths was surrounded with foreign, hostile ninja who looked al

The large decorative gate that separated Konoha from the rugged paths was surrounded with foreign, hostile ninja who looked all but diplomatic. They held their weapons, focused their chakra, waiting fro a good chance to attack the Hidden Leaf. Konoha ninja clustered and rushed to the front, while Tsunade took things in her hands.

"The mercenary will be first! We can't afford to lose any important nin right now. Only one mercenary is available at this moment, so we might have to deal with a few casualties." Tenten, dubbed 'nameless' stood, rolling up the sleeves of her uniform and looking at the Hokage. Tsunade nodded worriedly; it was impossible to finish the hundreds of men with just one person, especially someone not familiar with jutsus and throwing weapons.

"Very well. I expect the wages for this one by the end of today." Nameless pulled her cap down, eyes flashing a bright gold before she sprinted into the enemy area. The enemies snickered, but they didn't underestimate her. Several in the back threw poisoned weapons, but she simply weaved through them. Attacking with her hands, the echoes of cracked bones and cries of pain emerged from the battle. By now, nameless was using a wooden bo staff, easily knocking opponents out while a mace was whirled around, ending in a bloody mess. She was a fast-moving blur, and the enemies that were left (there was only ¼ left of the original enemies) could only try their hardest to slow her down. Soon, all of them had fallen from injury, if not death, and Nameless stood in the middle of the temporary battlefield, slipping the usually useless weapons in a situation like that into her coat again, except for the mace, which she lodged into a man feigning unconsciousness.

"I want more than 20,000 yen for this one. I will not accept less. If you cannot give me this sum of money, I will go back to Suna and Kiri." Nameless pulled her cap up again, shortening the name for Mist while she calculated the amounts. Bruises and rips in the uniform seemed unnoticeable to her.

"Ah…I see. It w-will be here by sundown." Tsunade answered, stunned. She also looked warily at the minor injuries that the mercenary had received. "Do you need to heal?" Nameless looked up.

"No. I'm okay. These heal on their own." She answered emotionlessly, her face hidden by the shadow of the cap. Sakura refused to believe it.

"No they won't. Just because you beat up a bunch of people doesn't mean you're perfect! Stop acting so high-and-mighty!" Tsunade glared at the rosette, mouthing for her to shut up. She did.

Nameless sighed. "I'm not actin' high-and-mighty. They do heal on their own." She pulled off her coat, pointing to a nasty scrape on her upper arm. True enough, it was glowing blue-green and was healing quickly, fading into something that looked like it wasn't even there. "D'you believe me now?" She spoke, her dialect mixed with the words rolling down her tongue. It was a foreign dialect, a mixed version of all the dialects she had learned.

"Yes, yes, we believe you. Now that this is done, can we train? You sword's begging to be used." Sasuke asked, smirking. Neji's eyes widened. So that was the humongous thing on her back!

Nameless grinned. "Nice to meetcha'. 'Names Tentou, or Oozora, or Tokoyonokuni, Hebun, Joukai, whatever you want. I don't like the sound of my other name, so choose outta' that list." Sasuke also grinned, people gaping at his carefree smile.

" 'Names Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke. Meet 'ya at the training ground. 9 in the blue." Sasuke responded, imitating her peasant dialect, something he had learned to do while he was under Orochimaru. Her brunette head nodded, and she dashed off. "First 'to Ichiraku's gets free ramen from the 'other!" She yelled behind her. And, quicker than a flash, Sasuke headed in the same direction.

Shino watched observingly from afar, noticing the irritated Nejim the infuriated Sakura, the shocked other people, and the 2 people racing to the ramen stand.

_"Well," Shino said, sighing. "It's going to be hell."_


	4. Revelation I

"You know what is expected by now

"_You know what is expected by now? The leader should have gone over a briefing of the payment."_ A deep, baritone voice echoed through the cellphone's speakers, and the hushed silence of her surroundings only made it that much more obvious.

"Yes _sir_. For this venture, I'll be expecting more than 700,000 yen. I think I'll have to hold out on the others until this is done." Tenten responded, her eyes calculating, still on the lookout for any stray passerby's. She had been careful to put out the most unnoticeable tracks.

_"Very well. Are there any more matters to discuss? Any issues?"_ The unknown voice questioned, a slightly higher, more curious tone in his voice

"I might as well say this to you since it's already obvious, but this venture is long-term, correct?" Tenten said, a smirk breaking out on her lips, before it once again settled into a thin line.

_"Yes, it is, Heaven-hime. What's your point?"_ The voice answered teasingly, somewhat catching on to what she was about to say, though his voice was fading into a serious tone once again.

"This one…it definitely means temporary loyalty to Konoha. You know that, don't you, Koushaku-sama?" She answered firmly, elongating what she was saying, her mixed (and feigned, she noted) dialect gone during the whole conversation.

_"I am aware of that. Just bear with it for the time being, okay? When you get back, I'll have something for you. Bye. I love you!"_ Tenten couldn't help but roll her eyes at his childish tone, but responded anyway.

"Yeah, yeah. Love you too." And then she hung up, shoving the phone in her pocket before walking off to the local onsen.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Have you guys seen Oozora? I saw her go along this way, you know. Tsunade's calling for her." Sakura asked, twirling one of her short pink locks as she faced Naruto and a shy-looking Hinata.

"Nope. Maybe she went that way." Naruto replied, swallowing a mouthful of egg noodles while he was handed another bowl of miso ramen. Hinata was watching him gobble up another mouthful, before she spoke.

"Did she wear a cap and a dark-blue uniform? I saw a girl pass by that way." Hinata said, no longer stuttering, pointing down the street where it became dead-end, than turned into dark and shady alleyways. Sakura hated that road; it was just so empty.

"Really? Okay, I'm off! See you Hinata-chan! Oh, and wipe your mouth off, Naruto." With that, the moody rosette walked down the street, infuriated that she was the one who had to do the searching, because her stupid boyfriend Neji had clan business and Sasuke (her dear, sweet Sasuke) was off somewhere, and she didn't want to bother him.

"Shit! I just missed a chance!" She said aloud, gaining the attention of some senior civilians, and she shrugged it off embarrassedly. Sakura mentally slapped herself. She could've asked Sasuke to come with her, then they'd have some alone time! Too late for that, she thought, thinking about Neji.

"I wonder where the hell Oozora is…God, she pisses me off." Thus, she stomped, turning a corner into an old set of buildings with torn posters and graffiti'd walls, into a hall with flickering lights.

_"Yeah,yeah. I love you too."_ A voice, not too far away, reached her ears. Who hung out around here anyway? And a 'love' person too? A girl, unmistakably. When she took a peek, she was stunned to see the same Oozora she was looking for shove a black cellphone into the mercenary uniform and leave. Sakura ran outside the other way, so she wouldn't look suspicious when she met with Oozora, and then there would be less hassle.

Still, who was that person Oozora was talking to? Her lover?


	5. Commence

"Hey

"Hey! Tenten! There you are! Tsunade-sama was looking for you!" Sakura exclaimed, her face contorted into a large smile in an attempt to fake she didn't see anything.

"Oh, is that so?" Tenten smirked, her eyes flashing dully. Lips set into a slight lift, she walked in the direction of the Hokage Tower, with Sakura following closely behind, fuming.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A figure hidden in the shadows that the dim lighting spared snickered softly, the voice amused and maniacal.

"Keep going, my little puppet," the quiet voice said eerily, "show them who you _really_ are."

On a nearby drawer, a small doll with brown locks was propped up on a metal stand. Its face was delicately painted, porcelain skin glistening in the glum room. The original Chinese dress lay spread beside the stand, and it was wearing a dark blue cap and a button-up uniform. Sewn in tiny golden letters on the left side of the outer jacket was one, solitary word.

_Tenten Ayatsuri. _

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Well, now that our mercenary is here, I will be briefing you on the next mission." The Hokage said calmly, her eyes sharp. They nodded. She tossed each of them a folder, but with Tenten's the Manila folder was replaced with a green book, the word 'CONFIDENTIAL' typed out on the front in large letters. Tenten scanned through some of the pages quickly before looking up.

"All that needs to be done is in that folder already, so scram." Tsunade-sama turned her wheeled chair towards the window, taking a swig of the alcohol she held in her hand.

"Thank you." Sakura, Neji and Sasuke left the office, their footsteps fading away into the hall.

"Tsunade-san, the path to the rain…I have to go by river?" Tenten questioned curiously, if not amused.

"Yes…You might be able to meet someone there if you need the chance. I'll send you the rest of the data later on. She whipped around, staring at Tenten sharply. "Now all you need to do right now…is keep the 'CONFIDENTIAL'ity, confidential. "

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Ne, Neji-kun! What do you think is in Oozora's folder?" Sakura asked, fingering through her pink locks.

"Hn." Sakura scowled. So he didn't know. She turned to the Uchiha.

"Do you know?" She asked him with a friendly smile.

"No. But I guess it's something important, because I can tell that Byakugan and Sharingan don't work on it." He said nonchalantly. Neji nodded.

Sakura turned to both of them.

"What?"

Shino stood in the distance, muttering quietly but firmly into the walkie-talkie. "Yes, the plan has began working. We are currently on step 2, and Step 3 will begin as well." He smirked when Sasuke caught his gaze, smirking as well and mouthing 'Step 2 is about to end. Get ready for Step 3."


	6. Question Between Two

Question between Two

Question between Two

"Tsunade-sama, may I ask a question?" Sakura hid cautiously behind the door connected to the Hokage's office.

"What is it?" The blonde retorted impatiently, obviously caught in another painful hangover. Her chair swiveled clockwise to face a scowling Sakura.

"It's about Oozora…"

"Don't worry. She isn't interested in him. Either of them." Tsunade pointed out clearly.

"It's not that!" The rosette replied indignantly. "Part of it is, but…"

"Then what is it?" The irritated Hokage interrogated.

"It's just that…how come she gets all the CONFIDENTIAL part of the missions!?" Sakura pounded her fists on the wooden piece of furniture. "Do you think we can't?!"

"Because of your outburst right now, I have a reason to doubt you. Straighten the facts, Sakura. This is only one mission, and the business she has been assigned to attend to requires her presence, considering the dangers if three Konoha ninja enter the Rain territory publicly. I don't want the already threadbare alliance to snap, just like that." Tsunade finished her answer with a snap of her fingers, gesturing Sakura to leave. Sakura was dumbfounded and stumbled slightly out the door.

--

"Tenten." Sasuke passed through the entrance way quietly, his footsteps as light as the tapping of the distant rain outside the window. He slid a hand underneath the sensor light, pausing until the automated sliding glass opened with a swivel.

"Yes?" The brunette addressed answered calmly as she propped several sheathed blades against a blank blue wall. Her back was turned to the Uchiha.

"Do you really think Haku is back? I mean, I did see him get killed and all…" He ran a cold hand through his naturally-spiked, navy locks. Mocha irises turned to him contemplatively.

"I'm not so sure myself. I heard of his death back when I was genin, but whereabouts…I have no idea. Either way, people claimed to have seen him flouncing around the Mist." Tenten replied with a hand on her chin. Grinning widely, her lips twitched negatively.

"It is going to be fun, won't it?"

--

Neji sighed for the eighteenth time that hour. All in all, he was bored to death. His frequent training partner and arch-rival, the Uchiha, was off on 'personal' business again. Sakura was having a chat with the Hokage about the strange mercenary girl. While he, the prodigious Neji Hyuuga, pride of the Hyuuga clan, was stuck sitting in a tree.

"Oozora…" He squinted, frustrated. He had heard of mercenaries before, but they were always either the male gender or seductive succubuses who manipulated the other sex. Even still, she was awfully familiar.

"Brown…the same brown hair." He mused to himself, recalling his teammate that disappeared years ago. Smirking, he shook his head.

It was no use comparing someone dead to someone alive.

--

Author's Ramblings: Hee hee. This story is going at a snail's pace, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll move the plot along in the next chapter. --


	7. Wilted Roses

Wilted Roses

Wilted Roses

_We hold the soft petal in our bleeding palms_

_We clutch so tightly on the blade_

_Our cries to heaven fall upon deaf ears_

_and we can only hope to be saved._

Sasuke awoke with a start, almost throwing the whole futon off of his exhausted figure. His head plopped back down onto the rolled up pillow in fatigue as he caught his breath. He traced the dark circles under his eyes, chuckling at how deep they were. He probably looked like Gaara. Sasuke clenched and unclenched his palms, feeling the soft and fragrant feeling relax into it. He stared intensely at his hand at the discovery, onyx piercing through the silk-like shreds in his hand like a blade.

"Dried rose petals."

--

Neji glared through the mist with his Byakugan darkly, letting an occasional yawn slip through. The mist filtrated through the dense amount of trees and into the oil-gray tents that were made to blend in. It was three a.m. Neji deactivated his bloodline as he glanced at the empty futon with the rose print, where the brown-haired mercenary went to sleep in. More mist encompassed the expanse of dewy trees, carrying a light and sweet fragrance.

"Roses? Are there roses in the mist?" Neji found his hand atop of Oozora's futon, a familiar name flashing rapidly across his mind, and his breath caught in his throat. "Tenten? Where are you?" Neji activated his Byakugan once again, head spinning. The scent was almost suffocating…

"Neji-kun, I'm right here."

--

Sakura snuggled deeper into her futon, draping her fluffy blanket over her bare shoulders, mouth set into a thin and grim line.

"Why? Why? Why?" A voice inside her head echoed loudly, reverberating again and again. "Why? Why? Why?"

"Seriously, Oozora. Stop it. It's creepy." Sakura hissed. There was no answer as seconds ticked by. She raised an eyebrow, turning to face the aforementioned girl, a bitter and mocking smile preparing to be shown.

However, she was met with nothing. Only the faint smell of roses drifted carelessly through the air.

--

Author's Corner: God, that was creeping me out. I kind of got the fragrance idea from Cain:Godchild, but the answers to where Tenten is are coming up next chapter. Btw, anyone nice enough to help me out on this fic? 


	8. I Just Want You To Know Who I Am

I Just Want You To Know Who I Am

I Just Want You To Know Who I Am

The dense fog encompassed the whole vast area of land in a silvery mist. Water poured heavily from the skies, seemingly without end. Amidst the dewy and dripping trees, two people, one a man and the other a woman, sat in hushed conversations.

--

Neji felt the steady drip of rain upon his sleeve, scowling at the endless amount of condensation. Tenten sat across with her legs crossed in front of him. "What did you want to ask?" She began.

Neji pondered for a few awkward seconds. "…Who are you?" Tenten set a poised hand under her chin. "Now now, Neji, do I have to repeat every single on of my names again?" She replied with an amused smirk. Darkened mocha eyes watched him in fascination as he lightly whammed his head against a tree branch repeatedly.

"No seriously. Who are _you_?" Tenten scowled a bit. She leaned forward, head in her hands, towards the Hyuuga. "Now you're just being repetitive. Please, elaborate." She answered dully. Neji sighed with the same expression.

"Don't take me for an idiot. I already figured out you were originally from Konoha. Also, a person who has so many 'names' like you should still have an original name. As deduced, it's none of those that you said." She didn't look one bit surprised. He waited for an answer, a reaction, anything, and then she grinned mischievously.

"Say, Hyuuga. Didn't you have a former teammate that disappeared a five or so years ago?" Tenten tilted her head up towards the sky. "They say she vanished from Konoha and supposedly traveled to the red-rust sands of Suna, but was never found."

Neji blinked in reply. "What does that have to do wi-?" Realization dawned over his pale face. Dimming shadows waved through the wet foliage, casting eerie shadows upon their faces. She smiled.  
"There's your answer." Tenten stood up gracefully, stepping lightly over the various slushy puddles of mud that littered the ground. She removed her dark blue cap, letting waves of smooth brunette tumble down her cap as she picked her way through the moist ground gracefully and with ease.

"…" Neji stayed silent and in a stupor a few yards behind, snow-silver eyes lidded in calculation.

--

Sakura slid into a sit on the extending roots of a tree trunk. Her hand covered her mouth to stifle her surprise at the new information. Neji, who seemed too dazed to even sense she was there, was a good six yards from the tree she was leaning against. "Tenten…" The cold mist tangled itself within the bright hair on her head, and the rain dripped steadily. She stood, albeit shakily, and trudged back to the camp, hoping that no one was there yet.

--

Author's Note: Holy hell, that was hard to write. I seriously had to listen to Iris more than two times just to finish this chapter. _"I just want you to know who I am.."_ Well, my writing sucks now. --Just not feeling so inspired lately.


	9. Face Down Across Your Floor

Face Down Across Your Floor

Face Down Across Your Floor

Sasuke glared fiercely at the broken chips of wood that remained of the tree bark. He gave it one last kick, making sure that none of the lay-way splinters pierced his foot. Unfortunately, one did, and he had a hell of a hard time to convince himself to pull it out.

"I'm an idiot." His words were crisp and monotonous. Who was he, Sasuke, to believe he had a chance, when it was obvious _he_ was there for _her_ first? It was almost like the time he had just returned to Konoha; everything he did had been out of the ordinary loop. In every single thing he did, he was always some kind of nagging third wheel that wanted to force its way in.

He leaned against the trunk of the tree opposite the one he had been defacing earlier. "Lies. They're all liars." Starting over was a lie. Whatever monster he was in the past, he still was. Cold. Ruthless. Killer.

And then everything was black.

--

"Last one!" Sakura smiled as she filled the last canteen with water, slinging it onto her shoulder by the faded gray strap. "Mine, Neji's, Tenten's…and Sasuke's." A cold shiver traveled through her spine at the last aforementioned person. Something just wasn't right.

"Where is everybody?" Sakura squared her shoulders, firmly walking back to camp through trails of mud. Precipitation bristled on the hairs on the back of her neck, and she promptly sped up. Then, she felt something thinner than mud, but thicker than water, weave under her feet. Small rivers of it, meeting into a large puddle of at the edge of her feet from the area of dense foliage. Then the rustic salty smell. Lifting her feet, she stepped away, eyes widening.

"Oh God, no."

--

Tenten shrugged off the cool moist air with a stretch of her shoulders. She inhaled deeply, the smell of summer rain, fresh water, a salty coppery smell, and last of all, the dewy plant smell she still hadn't grown tired of. Then she paused. Salty Coppery? Why the heck would it smell like blood here? And then a hidden conversation she had with the director came into mind as a flash.

_"I warned him. It's all his problem if he disobeys." The bespectacled man said, pushing his glasses farther up his nose. "Let's see how long he fares."_

Scrunching her nose in disgust at the crimson fluid that had started to collect at her feet, she easily jumped over the blood. The sunrise came early, bearing an orange glow on the surrounding area. Tenten hissed when she felt a burning upon the soles of her feet, an uncomfortable and spiking tingling coursing through the blood that had filtrated through her sandal. This blood…

"Fuck." She sprinted, making a mad dash through the forest. Her footing almost faltered as the ground became wetter, the grass turning redder and redder. "Sasuke!? Where the hell are you?" Tenten could feel the whirling of the sharingan, desperate in releasing chakra from its user a good thirty feet ahead of her. Then, it seemed to fade.

"Damnit Sasuke, get your ass over here!" Tenten almost collided with the pink-haired Sakura who seemed to be running in the same direction as her. Neji was next to her 'teammate', and all were in a frantic hurry. Broken trees and wooden chips littered the understory. Dread swelled inside Tenten's chest, and she breathed heavily at the view. Sasuke wasn't here; and judging by the look on everyone else's face, he wasn't coming there anywhere soon. There was a large, bloodied tree. Blood was spattered and spread like something had exploded and disappeared.

"Shit."

--

Preview:Sasuke felt the cold tiled floor against his warmed head. He could feel blood trickle down his face from the gaping cut on his forehead. His arm lay limp as it aimed to pressed against the open wound on his chest, and his legs all useless in temporary paralysis.

_It's getting harder to breathe._


	10. Harder To Breathe

Harder to Breathe

Harder to Breathe

_Is there anyone out there_

_'cause its getting harder and harder to breathe._

Sasuke felt the cold tiled floor against his warmed head. He could feel blood trickle down his face from the gaping cut on his forehead. His arm lay limp as it aimed to press against the open wound on his chest, and his legs all useless in temporary paralysis.

_Is there anyone out there?_

Thumping. Footsteps. The strong smell of over-fragrant cologne.

He cringed as a foot dug itself into his already wounded gut. Koushaku stared at him degradingly, and he couldn't help but let his eyes close just a little bit more. The pain in his chest intensified ten-fold as a rough and well-trained kick was aimed at the bloodied vitals. He had already expected this. Anyone who strayed too near Koushaku's 'precious heaven', Tenten, was someday bound to end up gagged, murdered in the most classy ways possible, and thrown down a river tied with chakra-eating wires. Sasuke rolled over in pain as another kick was aimed towards his gut.

"You know the rules, _Uchiha_." Koushaku began scathingly, materializing a heavy metal pipe from out of nowhere. The man Sasuke deemed an unstable and crazed psycho. He let thoughts pass his mind. What had made this man so attached-may he say obsessed- with Tenten, anyway? Sure, she was an attractive, that much he could say. She was much more than that. The whirring of the blood-rusted weapon paused right above his heavily injured head. He was too weak to activate Sharingan, anyway, so he waited. And the pain never came. Maybe it had already been numbed out?...

"Hello? Oh, hello, Heaven-hime?"

_'Cause it's getting harder and harder to breathe._

Sasuke sighed when he spotted Koushaku forget his previous intentions, dropping the metal pipe on the floor, namely Sasuke's leg, and exit through the sliding door. He urged himself to stand, blood spattering from his mouth and his wounds as he did.

He had to warn Neji and Tenten.

--

Tsunade turned around to face the trio that had walked into her office urgently. An unmistakable glum surrounded her office.

"Those deranged accusations were just the sayings of a mentally disabled man in the mist." Sakura reported. " We also delivered the scrolls you needed us to transport to the chief of one of the smaller villages." Tsunade smiled warmly, until she noticed the missing detail.

"Where's Sasuke Uchiha?" Sakura looked scared, Neji looked tense, and Tenten was in a cold and unblinking stupor. The mercenary fished into her pocket, then aimlessly threw a picture of the bloodied tree onto the Hokage's desk, and the katana that once belonged to the aforementioned Uchiha was draped in blood and shattered in half.

"I see." The Hokage began. Just at that moment, a hyped up Naruto walked into the office. He looked ready to greet and take on anything in the world, until he saw what was left of the sword.

"…Obaa-chan, what the hell happened to Sasuke?"

--

Tenten was confused. How could the Uchiha disappear just like that? It wasn't an illusion, but it didn't seem possible. As she exited the confusion in the Hokage's office, she tore her phone from her pocket and pressed speed dial one.

"Hello? Koushaku-sama?" Tenten initiated her conversation with the director.

"Oh, hello, Heaven-hime." Koushaku answered amusedly, with a maniacal tinge in his facade.

"Have you heard any news about Sasuke?" Koushaku scowled in disdain on the other end of the weakened phone line. He sorted the words-lies-he could say.

"Oh, the new recruit? No, why do you ask?" He lied. Koushaku leaned against the wall of his office, occasionally glancing at the framed photograph on the copper wall with a smirk.

"Oh nothing, just asking. Sorry for the bother. Bye."

"No problem, goodbye." Koushaku bid his farewell sweetly, then clasped his phone shut. Glaring at the wall, he plopped onto the large office chair, casting angry glances at the loads of paperwork. He didn't feel like beating the Uchiha to a bloody pulp anymore. That fool would already be bleeding to death, anyway.

--

Preview: Sasuke neared the wide open gates of Konoha, clasping his hand to the excruciating pain in his chest. He could barely move, and now that the wound beneath his ribcage had re-opened, he was better off dead. Sasuke spotted a shock of sunny yellow spiked hair as he passed through the gate. The guards looked panicked; hi didn't care.

"Shit." He pressed against his bleeding chest even harder, hissing at the 'tinge' that came with it. Sad, wasn't it, he thought. Maybe this was his divine punishment for killing all those innocent humans and raising a hand against his own comrades.

He chuckled bitterly at that, then he collapsed into unconsciousness.


	11. Better Left Unknown

Better Left Unknown

Better Left Unknown

: Sasuke neared the wide open gates of Konoha, clasping his hand to the excruciating pain in his chest. He could barely move, and now that the wound beneath his ribcage had re-opened, he was better off dead. Sasuke spotted a shock of sunny yellow spiked hair as he passed through the gate. The guards looked panicked; he didn't care.

"Shit." He pressed against his bleeding chest even harder, hissing at the 'tinge' that came with it. Sad, wasn't it, he thought. Maybe this was his divine punishment for killing all those innocent humans and raising a hand against his own comrades.

He chuckled bitterly at that, then he collapsed into unconsciousness.

--

"What is it, Naruto?" Tsunade groaned, looking rather pissed that the Kyuubi vessel had once again interrupted her private talk with the three jounin who had supposedly lost a valuable teammate.

Naruto was panting and already breathing with his shoulders. "It's..-really important!He-Sasuke-came back!- Hospital!" Exhausted from his long run but still having the energy, he dashed to the hospital, with Tsunade teleporting away with Sakura. Neji was about to do the same, until he spotted Tenten's dazed expression.

"Oozo-I mean Tenten-we have to get to the hospital." He shook her drooping shoulders lightly, until she nodded.

--

"One, Two, Three. Clear!" The loud beep from the defibrillator echoed through the white walls of the emergency room. Several medic-nin were crowded around the Uchiha, eyes in panic at losing one of their best mission specialists. Among them were a frantic Sakura and a determined Hinata were giving their all for the quickly fading. A loud and astringent beep was heard, filling both with fear.

"He's flat-lining! Use the defibrillator!" Shizune looked concerned.

"Tsunade-sama! His wound has only started to heal! The defibrillator could-- Never mind!" She saw the intensified look in the Hokage's eyes. Shizune pressed the two paddles to the heavily wounded chest, waiting for a few moments. Sasuke's torso twitched abruptly and extensively. One beat, then a flatline again.

"Again!" Fortunately, there was no longer any use for the defibrillator. Sasuke's vitals stayed below the cleared area, dangerously close to flat-lining again. Several of his wounds were already healed, but the chest wound he obtained had been far from easy to heal. It was almost as if it exploded from the inside…

--

Neji and Tenten scrunched up their noses in disgust at the bloodied clothing that had been discarded before. Pools of fresh blood trailed from the sleeves and chest area of Sasuke's shirt, trailing into the cardboard box. Luckily, he had been able to keep his pants on. Tsunade emerged from the operating room, hands drenched in blood as she washed them in a nearby heat-sink.

"His vitals and body are in critical condition. He received heavy damage to his chest, though I'm mystified as to how." The Hokage turned to them sternly.

"Did you see any explosives in the area? Anything that can immediately combust?" Neji looked confused.

"No. I didn't see anything like that." He replied. Tenten was silent, calculating all the details in her head. Sasuke was in the forest, apparently training himself with cutting down trees. Then, apparently something exploded…

"I see. It seems to me there was some kind of explosive. In the x-ray, it seems Sasuke-his chest, specifically-was blown up from the inside." Tenten's head snapped up in surprise at that. "Do you know anything about it?" Tenten shook her head side to side, and Tsunade found no reason to push it any further. "I'm rather stunned, if not amazed, how something could plant its way into someone and blow up without destroying up the heart, only sending it into shocks-cardiac arrest."

At that moment, Tenten felt sick.

--

Preview: "Whatever you do Neji, do not get caught with Tenten." Neji's head snapped up at that, and he could only answer dumbly.

"What?" He asked incredulously. Were these words actually coming out of the Uchiha's mouth?


	12. Chapter 12: He Who Knows

"Whatever you do Neji, do not get caught with Tenten." Neji's head snapped up at that, and he could only answer dumbly.

"What?" He asked incredulously. Were these words actually coming out of the Uchiha's mouth?

--

Sasuke had been confined in Konoha hospital's white walls for a few weeks already, but he still refused to reveal just what the hell had happened. Everytime-even when the Hokage came-he would shrug it off like nothing had ever happened. So when he finally spoke a word other than 'yes' and 'no', Neji had been, well, shocked.

--

"Just listen Hyuuga." Sasuke paused to let the scorching pain in his chest subside. "It's more serious than you think."

"So you think I'm just messing around with her?" Neji clenched his fists, his short-trimmed nails digging into his calloused palms.

"I never said that. I'm just saying, be careful. You never know who exactly is up there watching you." Sasuke finished, and Neji stood there in confusion.

"The hell?" Neji slammed the mahogany door shut tightly, and Sasuke leaned back into the cushioned pillows, and let the excruciating pain in his chest-caused by the slightest movement-dull into a stinging throb.

--

"Tenten…are you okay?" Neji placed his hand gently on the woman's shoulder. She did not tense or flinch at his touch like he expected. After several moments of bitter silence, he began. "The Uchiha told me."

She blinked in surprise. "Told you what?" Neji blanched.

"Told me something, but I don't think its appropriate to tell you." Neji persisted, wanted to urge the truth out of her; the Uchiha's injury couldn't have been the work of any professionally trained rogue or village ninja.

"Neji." Tenten's lips fell into a thin line. "Tell me." Silence settled once again, the wind rustling through the dark cloth they wore.

"He told me to be careful. Like something is watching from above or something. I didn't think he was the religious kind, but," Tenten clasped a smooth hand over his mouth.

"Neji," Tenten's voice shallowed out, a slight panic breaking her words. "Is Sasuke, still, alive?"

He removed her trembling hand hurriedly. "Yes. I went to check his recovery progress twenty minutes ago. Why?" Neji rubbed smooth circles on her back, consoling her unexpected behavior.

"Because, Neji…" She gulped. "He might not be there any more."

--

Sakura flipped through her list of patients, settling on the last form. Smiling, she mouthed the name, letting it slide easily over her tongue.

Sasuke Uchiha.

"Why was I so stupid?" She sighed. True enough, Neji did somewhat bear a resemblance to Sasuke, but they could never be the same.

"Sasuke, you in there?" Sakura peeked through the doorway, ready with her most flirtatious smile. No answer.

"Sasuke?" The bed was empty, sheets left as if no one had ever occupied the bed.

--

Author's Ramblings: Lol. That was boring. No worries, more updates to come!


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